GAME CONTROLLER AND GAME SYSTEM

• US 20160096108A1
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: IKEDA, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 9,498,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2408 Touch-sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2447 Motion detector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 : Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 : Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32

Abstract

A first control unit includes a first operation data generation section for generating first operation data in accordance with a motion of a first control unit body included in the first control unit. A second control unit includes a second operation data generation section for generating second operation data in accordance with a direction input operation performed by a player or a motion of a second control unit body included in the second control unit. Further, one of the first control unit and the second control unit includes a transmission section for transmitting the first operation data and the second operation data to a computer at a predetermined timing.

Claims

1. A game controller, comprising:

an elongated housing having a substantially rectangular shape, the housing comprising;

a top surface,

a bottom surface,

a front end, and

a rear end;

a touch-sensitive panel located at an upper half of the top surface of the housing;

a home button located at the top surface of the housing, the home button positioned between the touch-sensitive panel and the rear end of the housing;

an inertial sensor configured to produce data usable in detecting attitude and/or orientation of the housing of the game controller; and

processing circuitry operatively coupled to the touch-sensitive panel, the home button, and the inertial sensor, and configured to process data in response to input made in association with the touch-sensitive panel, the home button, and/or the inertial sensor.

2. The game controller of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transceiver configured to execute short-distance wireless communication.

3. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the inertial sensor includes at least a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

4. A handheld electronic device usable to play a game, comprising:

a housing having a substantially oblong shape, comprising at least;

a top surface, and

a bottom surface;

a button located at the top surface of the housing;

a touch-sensitive panel located at the top surface of the housing and being operable by touch;

an inertial sensor; and

processing circuitry configured to process output data in response to input made in association with at least the button, the touch-sensitive panel, and/or the inertial sensor,

at least a portion of the output data is capable of providing gaming control.

5. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the inertial sensor includes at least an accelerometer.

6. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the inertial sensor includes at least a gyroscope.

7. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the button is a home button.

8. The handheld electronic device of claim 7, wherein the home button is located at or near a middle portion of the top surface in a length direction.

9. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit and receive data.

10. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a Bluetooth transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit and receive data using Bluetooth wireless communication.

11. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein input to the touch-sensitive panel enables control of one or more objects displayed on a display device.

12. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the button is positioned at or near a substantially middle portion of the top surface in a length direction.

13. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the touch-sensitive panel is located above the button at the top surface of the housing.

14. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the housing further comprises a front end and a back end, the touch-sensitive panel located between the button and the front end of the housing.

15. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, further comprising two additional buttons positioned between the button and a rear end of the housing.

16. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, further comprising an additional button positioned along a same longitudinal axis as the button.

17. The handheld electronic device of claim 16, wherein the button and the additional button are positioned between the touch-sensitive panel and a rear end of the housing.

18. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein both the touch-sensitive panel and the button are adapted to be operable by at least one digit of a hand of the user as the housing is being held.

19. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the device can be held in a single hand of a user as the user operates the device.

20. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the touch-sensitive panel is located at an upper half of the top surface, in a length direction, of the housing.

21. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the button is co-linear with an additional button along a horizontal direction.

22. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the button is co-linear with an additional button along a vertical direction.

23. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the button is co-linear with at least two additional buttons along a vertical direction.

24. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the device is a game controller.

25. The handheld electronic device of claim 24, wherein the game controller is configured to wirelessly transmit data to an information processing apparatus configured to play a game.

26. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the housing further comprises a front end, the front end of the housing having circuitry configured to conduct infrared communication.

27. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the housing further comprises a rear end, the rear end including a connection portion for charging the handheld electronic device.

28. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein output data from the inertial sensor is used, in part, to determine an orientation of the handheld electronic device, and the output data from the inertial sensor enabling control of one or more objects displayed on a display device.

29. A handheld electronic device usable to play a game, comprising:

a housing having a substantially rectangular shape, comprising;

a top surface, and

a bottom surface being structurally dimensioned and shaped to configure the device to be operable by a hand of a user while the housing is cradled by the hand of the user;

a touch-sensitive panel arranged on the top surface and being operable by touch;

at least one button disposed below the touch sensitive panel; and

an inertial sensor,

at least a portion of output data from the touch-sensitive panel is capable of providing gaming control.

30. A game system, comprising:

a game controller, comprising;

an elongated housing having a substantially rectangular shape, the housing comprising;

a top surface,

a bottom surface,

a front end, and

a rear end;

a touch-sensitive panel located at an upper half of the top surface of the housing near the front end of the housing;

a home button located at the top surface of the housing, the home button positioned between the touch-sensitive panel and the rear end of the housing;

an inertial sensor configured to produce data usable in detecting attitude and/or orientation of the housing of the game controller; and

processing circuitry operatively coupled to the touch-sensitive panel, the home button, and the inertial sensor, and configured to process data in response to input made using the touch-sensitive panel, the home button, and/or the inertial sensor, and

a game apparatus configured to communicate with the game controller to, at least, receive data input using the game controller and output data to a display device for playing a game process based on the received data.